UNH Program to Support Military Veterans Goes National; More than 30 colleges participating in Operation Hat Trick

Feb 02, 2012

DURHAM, N.H.
– The University of New Hampshire is proud to
announce Operation Hat Trick (OHT), a program that first started at
UNH four years ago and will now generate royalties to support
respective schools and the Veteran’s Administration General
Post Fund, is launching nationally. Beginning Feb. 1, alumni, fans,
and supporters of more than 30 colleges and universities across the
country will be able to purchase officially licensed caps that
support their university and our American military veterans.

The OHT program was born at UNH to
memorialize Nate Hardy and Mike Koch, two U.S. Navy SEALs killed in
Iraq in 2008. The original initiative was focused on producing
collegiate caps that could be provided to soldiers that suffered
head injuries after a radio broadcast revealed what soldiers with
head injuries most often asked for upon their return to the United
States was something to cover their heads and their burns, wounds,
and scars.

This focus and the program’s
roots in ice hockey country provided the inspiration for the
Operation Hat Trick name. In just the first four years at UNH,
more than 10,000 hats were distributed to wounded soldiers around
the country. Since its humble beginnings, the OHT program has
evolved into a national program with a new objective of raising
funds for the VA General Post Fund.

OHT caps are produced under license
by ’47 Brand, one of the country’s leading collegiate
headwear manufacturers. The three styles – adjustable
camouflage and team color versions as well as a stretch fit style
in team color – feature the Operation Hat Trick logo as well
as the logo of the school. The UNH OHT caps will be available for
sale at the UNH Bookstore, Hayden Sports and Town & Campus in
downtown Durham and online at www.UNHWildcats.com
on Feb. 1.

“The primary objective for
the OHT program moving forward is to build support and funds for
our soldiers and veterans seeking medical treatment in VA medical
centers,” said Dot Sheehan, founder and director of OHT and
senior associate athletic director at UNH. “We are excited
about the national participation in the program and believe that
schools’ supporters will be eager to help our veterans by
purchasing co-branded caps.”

For more information, contact Dot
Sheehan at (603) 862-4677. Retailers interested in carrying OHT
caps, should contact Cole Price at Collegiate Licensing Company at
770-956-0520.

About Operation Hat
Trick (OHT)
Operation Hat Trick (OHT) is a philanthropic merchandising program
based in Durham, NH focused on raising funds for American soldiers
and veterans. Founded in 2008, OHT was founded by Dot Sheehan
at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) to memorialize Nate Hardy
and Mike Koch, two U.S. Navy SEALs lost in Iraq in 2008. OHT
has evolved into a national program with more than 26 participating
universities. The program has future plans for raising
additional funds for U.S. veterans by expanding to additional
product categories and universities.